Railway-switch.



No 872,178. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

O. HARPOLD. RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- No. 872,178. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

O. HARPOLD.

RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JULY1L1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

" am jaw OTTO HARPOLD, OF ROSEDALE, INDIANA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

To all whom tiff/nay concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO ITIARPOLD, a citi- V zen of the United States,residing at Rosedale, in the county of Park and State of 5 Indiana, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to railway switches.

A switch involving my invention is strong in construction, capable oflong use without undue wear; it permits an engine or string of cars topass from a main line on to the siding or branch line with perfectsafety; by it a running switch can be made in a short space of timebetween the engine and cars.

The invention possesses other objects and advantages which, with theforegoing, will be set forth at length in the following descriptionwherein is disclosed in detail that form of embodiment of the inventionwhich I have selected for illustration in the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, this being for the purpose ofenabling those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Certainvariations may be made within the scope of my claims succeeding saiddescription.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a switchembodying my invention and showing the parts positioned to permit thepassage of a vehicle or train from the main line on to a siding orbranch line. Fig. 2 is a like view with the parts of the switch thrownaway from the main rails. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line33 of Fig. 1. spective of a swinging plate or carrier, and Fig. 5 is alike view of a switch block supported in practice by said plate orcarrier.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures ofthe drawings.

The main rails are designated in a general way by 2 and 3 respectively,and the branch rails by 4 and 5 respectively. In the present case thebranch rail 4 is divided into sections 6 and 7, the section 6 beinglocated between the main rails 2 and 3, and the section 7 beside thesaid main rails and at one side of the main rail 3. These rails arefastened to the ties in the customary manner. I have shown two switchrails or points as S and 9 which are adapted to cooperate with thesiding or branch rails 4 and 5 respectively. These switch rails orpoints 8 and 9 are fastened suitably to the companion cross-bars 10disposed under the main rails 2 and 3 and ex- Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed July 11, 1907. Serial No. 383,214.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in per- Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

tending outwardlybeyond the sides of the lat ter. At places outside ofthe said mainrails 2 and 3 the bars 10 are connected by parallel strips11, said bars -10 and their connecting strips 1] presenting askeleton-like or open slide for carrying the two switch rails or points8 and 9. The said strips 11 are grooved between their ends to receiveguide ribs as 1.2 fastened suitably to orforming a part of the tie 13.The ends of the strips or bars 11 travel upon the upper surfaces ofblocks as 14 fastened to the ties l5 and abutting at their inner endsagainst the main rails. The upper surfaces of the bars 10 make contactwith the under surfaces of the main rails 2 and 3. By virtue of thedescribed construction the only movement of the said slide composed ofthe bars 10 and 11 is one which is exactly straight across ortransversely of the main track made up of the two rails 2 and 3.

The several ties 13 and 15 are provided with suitable bearings for theshaft 16, said shaft having an operating lever or arm 17 at one end bywhich it can be rocked and having between its ends the cranks 18connected by links as 19 with the bars 10. By operating the lever or arm17 the bars 10 can be movedtransversely of the main track to move theswitch rails or points 8 and 9 toward and from the rails 2 and 3respectively,

or into and out of coincidence with the siding or branch rails 4 and 5respectively. The heads or upper portions of the switch rails or points8 and 9 are flanged as at 20 to overlie the tops of the main rails 2 and3 when said switch rails or points are in a position to direct a vehiclefrom the main track or line on to the branch track or line, and tofacilitate the entrance of the wheels on to said switch rails 8 and 9,the latter are upwardly inclined as at 21 at their entering ends.

In Fig. 1 the switch rails or points 8 and 9 are in a position toinitially direct the wheels of a vehicle from the main rails 2 and 3 onto the siding or branch rails 4 and 5, while in Fig. 2 said switch rails8 and 9 are wholly out of contact with the main rails so as to permitthe travel of a vehicle, whether it be a train or not, along the mainline, as it approaches the switching mechanism. A guard rail is shown at22, and said guard rail is arranged in proximity to the switch rail orpoint 8 and it may be connected therewith and also with the bars 10 bymeans of spikes,

belts, or in any other desirable way.

pivotally mounted, while the same statement applies to the plate orblock 25, and a pivot as 26 may be employed for pivotally uniting thetwo plates togetherand for pivotally connecting the lower plate 24 to atie as 27. A. rock-shaft is shown at 28, said rock-shaft having an armas 29 at one end by which it may be turned. The said rock-shaft 28 issupported by hearings on several of the ties and is provided near theend opposite that equipped with the hand-lever or arm 29 with a crank as30 to which a rod as 31 is suitably jointed, the rod extending under themain rails 2 and 3, also under the plate 24, and being bolted orotherwise suitably connected to the latter. To said rod 31 is connecteda hook-like bracket as 32, the hook portion of which'engages against oneof the side faces of the plate 24. The plate 24 is shown as providedwith a vertical pin or stud 33 adapted to extend through a guide slot as34 in the upper plate or block 25, and the latter may be equipped with apin as 35 to travel in a guide slot as 36 in said lower plate 24. Whenthe switch member 23 is in a position to effect the transfer of avehicle or train from the main line on to the siding or vice versa, theplate or section 24 of said switch member 23 will be situated betweenand in contact with the blocks or lugs 24 and 24 which efiectuallyprevent end-thrust of the switching member at such time.

Under normal conditions the switch member 23 is operated by themanipulation of the lever or arm 29 acting on said switch member 23through the intermediate parts. The block 25 is provided on its upperside with a diagonal groove as 37 to receive the flanged portion of avehicle wheel after the same leaves the side rail section 6, the wheelbeing guided into said groove 37 from said rail section 6 by a guidemember as 38. When the switch member 23 is in its operative position,

as indicated by full lines in Fig. 1, the flanged portion 39 thereofoverlies the adjacent main rail 3 and at this time one end of the groove37 will be in register with the rail section 6. By throwing the lever 29from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, over or through an arcof 180 the switch member 23 will be moved out of operative relation withthe rail section 7 as shown in Fig. 2. There are times when from somecause or other the switch member 23 may not have been shifted after avehicle has passed from the main line on to the branch line or siding.In such a case as this the switch member 23 will occupy, as will beunderstood, the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. No iniurv canresult from this owing to the fact that the block 25 is ca pable ofshifting movement with respect to the carrying body 24. Should a trainor vehicle approach the switch member 23 from opposite sides thereof,the foremost wheel thereon on the rail 3 will strike the switch member25 overlying the rail 3 and will shift said member 25 laterally. Tofacilitate this operation the outer face of the member 25 is providedwith converging angular faces 40 and 41 adapted to be engaged by suchforward wheel for the purpose indicated that is to say, to move theblock or member 25 side wise out of the path of the vehicle in case themember 23 should not have been shifted.

I prefer that the member or block 25 be spring actuated, and anysuitable type of spring may be employed for this purpose. I have shown aleaf spring as 42 one end of which is suitably fastened to the body orplate 24, while the free end-thereof engages against one side of theblock 25 for the purpose of holding said block in its normal workingposition and also for the purpose of returning it to such normalposition after it has been shifted in the manner pointed out. Saidspring bears between its ends against the hook-like lug 42 on the plate24. In Fig. 1 I have s own by dotted lines the member 25 as shifted inthe manner set forth, it being assumed that this shifting is broughtabout by a vehicle. I

That I claim is:- I

1. In a switch, the combination of main and branch rails, one of thebranch rails being divided, and a switch member between the sections ofsaid divided branch rail and comprising a pivotally mounted bodyprovided with a member ivotally mounted thereon, movable therewith, andconstituting the operative portion of said switch member. 3 V

2. In a switch, the combination of main and branch rails, one of thebranch rails being divided, a switch member between the sections of saiddivided branch rail* and comprising a pivotally mounted body provided115 with a pivotally mounted member constituting the operative portionof said switch memsections of said divided branch rail and comprising ashiftably mounted body provided with a member jointed thereto,constituting the working art of the switch member and provided wit aflange tooverlie one of the main rails.

4. In a switch, the combination of main and branch rails, one of thebranch rails being divided, a switch member between the sections of saiddivided branch rail and comprising a shiftably mounted body providedwith a member shiftable thereon, constituting the working part of theswitch member and provided with a flange to overlie one of the mainrails, the side of said latter member provided with said flange beingprovided with angular converging faces.

5. In a switch, the combination of main and branch rails, one of thebranch rails being divided, a switch member between the sections of saiddivided branch rail and comprising a shiftably mounted body providedwith a member shiftable thereon, constituting the working part of theswitch member and provided with a flange to overlie one of the mainrails, the side of said latter member provided with said flange beingprovided with angular converging faces and also having adiagonally-disposed groove.

6. In a switch, the combination of main and branch rails, one of thebranch rails being divided, a switch member between the sections of thedivided branch rail, said switch member comprising two swinging parts,one-carried by the other, and a pivot uniting the two parts of theswitch member and also constituting the center for the carryingIpart ofsaid switch member.

n a switch, the combination of main and branch rails, one of the branchrails being divided, a switch member between the sections of the dividedbranch rail, shiftably mounted and having a shiftable member to overlieone of the main rails, two switch rails coo erative with said switchmember and wit a slide carrying the switch rails, said slide beinggrooved, and stationary ribs to fit the grooves of the slide.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- HGSSCS. c

OTTO HARPOLD. Witnesses:

GEORGE L. LANEY, I-IARMoN L. OONNERLEY.

the adjacent ends of the branch rails,

